The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-12

wine, and secondly that he boldly
stated that he himself habitually
used it as beverage.
Let US see:
Matthew 9:17, Mark 2:22, and
Luke 5:3-these three texts all
give the words OF Christ alike:
Neither do men put new wine
into old bottles, else the bottles
break and the wine runneth out and
the bottles perish, but they put new
wine into new bottles and both are
preserved"
Thus, in his plain, homely way,
Christ taught a great lesson-illus-
trating it by a custom of the people,
neither approving nor condemning
the custom itself.
Matthew ll:19, Luke 7:34 are
identical in Substance. Rebuking
the people for their unjust criticism,
he says: For John came, neither
eating nor drinking, and they say he
hath devil"
1.-THE son of man came eating and
drinking and they say, behold a man,
gluttonOus and wine bibberl"
Luke 1914 is the parable of the
good Samaritan, and we find that the
Samaritan dressed the wounds of the
man who was robbed and beaten and
poured in oil and wine." The use
here was medicinal. 1t will be OBJ
served then that the whole question
so far as the New Testament is con-
cerned narrows down to Christ's ex-
ample in turning the water into wine
at the marriage feast of Cana, aud
surely no amount of argument will
show that the water fermented, and
by a process of rotting and decay re-
leased alcohol, aud just as | called
attention to the omission of Mr..
Skies to quote certain parts Of
Proverbs, so now | wonder that with
his scholarly research for Biblical
authority for the use OF wine (Oi
course he is honest and would have
cited the following texts ii he had
found them) that he should have
omitted the noble humanitarian re.
solve of Paul land mind there is nc
talk here OF abuse or excess, only the
bare use by one of all men able to
command HIMSELF:
IF to eat meat causeth my brother
to offend, | will eat no meat while
the world stands"
1t is good neither to eat flesh nor
to drink wine nor anything whereby
thy brother stumbleth, or is Of
Tended, or is made weak,-Romans
1422.
LET every one of us please his
neighbor for his good to edifcation
Romans 15:2.
This is the very acme OF Christian
teaching, the noblest sentiment in
the worlds literature, self denial
for others good, and the spirit that
is needed in this great issue of Pro
hibition above all others. Will not
those who drink moderately, wh9
can drink or let it alone, let it alone
for the benefit of he who, when
he drinks is driven by frightful APP
petite to continue to drink till,
reason gone, he becomes brutalized,
insane; his wife and children starved
and beaten, his progeny finally tilline
the jails and brothels, and by the re-
morseless law of heredity still hand
ing down the frightful appetite to
generations still unborn.
One word more to Mr.. Skies. He
apparently belongs to that portion
of the clergy who, by their false in
corporations Of Scripture, have
steadfastly opposed every advance Of
science and civilization, who slew
Hypatia, burned Bruno at the stake
forced Galilee to recant, burned
witches at Salem, and with thou
sand other follies and crimes finally
opposed abolition by denouncing
Garrison as an intidel.
The reverend gentleman lays very
particular stress on his desire to
learn of the Master, and make him
his constant pattern" | do not ex-
pect impractical lives of the clergy,
but in this case Mr.. Skies reiterates
this so often. He searches so very
laboriously for a rule of conduct on
the use of wine, going from Genesis
to Revelation, that we have right
to expect that he is really in earnest,
and seeks to walk in the very foot
steps of Jesus. Will he, then, as
the Son of Man did, preach in the
highways and byways, preaching sal
walton without money and without
price? Will he start on a journey
without scrip or purse, taking no
heed of the morrow what he shall
eat or what he shall drink Is he
reviled, scoffed at, spit upon for
righteousness sake? Is he troubled
as to where to lay his head2 or is he
honored, well fed, well housed and
clothed in purple and fine linen? For
that jewel, consistency's sake, Mr..
Skies, since you are so conscientious
in this one feature, where for suffer
ing humanity's sake you might afford
to have a scruple, do follow the Mas
ter in all things as | suggest.
I. A. WRIGHT.